Lundell's Hat Trick Powers Panthers Past Jets in 5-2 Victory
Seth Jones also broke the franchise record for monthly points by a defenseman as Florida snapped Winnipeg's eight-game winless streak.
By Nour Haddad ·
The Florida Panthers defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-2 on Friday night, securing their sixth victory in their last eight games. Anton Lundell recorded a hat trick, while Seth Jones contributed a goal and two assists in a performance that broke a franchise record.
Jones finished October with 18 points, consisting of two goals and 16 assists. This total surpassed the previous record of 17 points set by Keith Yandle in March 2018 for the most points by a Florida defenseman in a single month. Sam Reinhart also scored for the Panthers, adding to the team's offensive output.
For Winnipeg, Kyle Connor scored his 11th goal of the season. Morgan Barron found the net midway through the third period to pull the Jets within one goal at 3-2, but Lundell's second goal of the game restored Florida's two-goal advantage. Lundell completed his hat trick with an empty-netter with 1:39 remaining on the clock.
The loss marks the second straight game that the Jets have lost in a home-and-home series with Florida. The team is now winless in its last eight contests, posting a record of zero wins, six losses, and two overtime losses. Akira Schmid made 22 saves for the Panthers, who remain without top forwards Aleksander Barkov and Brad Marchand due to injuries.
Panthers coach Paul Maurice stated that Marchand could return in about three weeks and Barkov in about four, noting that both players resumed skating this week. The game featured an early altercation between Bokondji Imama and Tyrel Bauer at the 2:04 mark, a rematch of their 2024 AHL fight. The two players exchanged a respectful nod after the scuffle ended.
Florida entered the game having played only three home matches this season, the fewest in the NHL. More than half of the league had already logged at least seven home games before Friday. The Jets will play in Carolina on Sunday, while the Panthers host Detroit on Monday night.
